It’s a comment that will make University of Washington football fans cringe. It’s a thought that probably doesn’t help him sleep any easier. And it will be a factor Saturday when the Huskies play at Nebraska.
Huskies linebackers coach Mike Cox was asked if he’s seen any difference in Cornhuskers quarterback Taylor Martinez from the two times they saw him last season.
His response?
“He looks faster,” Cox said with a quick shake of his head.
Wait, what? Is that possible?
“The quarterback is still fast, fast as hell, crazy fast,” said Washington defensive tackle Alameda Ta’amu.
Martinez was really fast last season, particularly in the first meeting of the two teams – a 56-21 thrashing where Martinez rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries.
The one play – the first play of the third quarter – was unforgettable, no matter how much the Huskies want to forget about it.
Martinez ran the same read option play the Cornhuskers love to run. He held the ball in the running back’s stomach just long enough for the defense to collapse. He then yanked the ball out and tucked it under his arm, ran through a weak arm tackle attempt from linebacker Victor Aiyewa and then past the poor tackling angle of safety Nate Williams and sprinted 80 yards for a touchdown.
It was fast.
Martinez wasn’t quite as fast in the Holiday Bowl a few months later. He came into the game beaten and bruised from the Big 12 season and ran into a much improved Huskies defense.
He managed 23 yards rushing on 14 carries and was knocked out of the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury.
But the Martinez Washington will face Saturday will be more like the first game and not the bowl game.
“It feel great just to get back on the field and feel 100 percent and being able to do what I’m able to do,” Martinez said.
It means he’s back to being able to run at full speed. And his full speed is different than most people on the field. It is sprinter’s speed, where you don’t catch him from behind.
It’s a speed that can’t be simulated in practice with the scout team.
“He’s probably faster than anyone on our team,” Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said. “We can’t. You just try to give them the idea of the types of plays they are running, and then make sure we talk about taking good angles.”
Because of Martinez’s speed, he is the focal point of the spread-option attack.
“Taylor Martinez is the key to what they’re doing, and that hasn’t changed,” Sarkisian said. “He’s fast and we need to contain him because if we don’t, he’s going to outrun us. It’s pretty simple.”
But is it really that simple containing him?
Yes and no. The principles of stopping or slowing Martinez are simple, but getting players to maintain those principles isn’t.
To stop the option, each player on the Huskies’ defense has certain responsibilities. And if they all do them, the defense should have a better than average chance of stopping Martinez or holding him to short yardage.
But if one person doesn’t do their job, or another person tries to do someone else’s job, then things break down.
The Huskies had those breakdowns in the first game, hence the 383 yards rushing from Nebraska. It also didn’t help that linebacker Cort Dennison didn’t play in the game and freshman Garret Gilliland was forced to start in his place.
But in the Holiday Bowl, and despite Martinez being banged up, the Huskies didn’t make those mistakes. They were where they were supposed to be and did the jobs they were asked – nothing more, nothing less.
The other thing the Huskies did well on defense in the Holiday Bowl is tackle.
It’s one thing to read the play properly and be in the right position, but you must make the tackle. Martinez won’t just run in a straight line.
“Make the plays when they come to you,” Cox said. “We have to tackle. One missed big play and it’s a long play.”
Sometimes it will feel that 11 won’t be enough to catch him. But the Huskies can’t start freelancing.
“If everyone does their assignment, we’ll be fine,” safety Sean Parker said.
Sounds like a lot of attention for one player. It’s because Martinez is so fast.
How fast?
“He’s fast,” Sarkisian said. “It’s not a secret. The dude is fast.”
Ryan Divish: 253-597-8483 ryan.divish@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/uwsports
SATURDAY
Washington (2-0) at No. 11 Nebraska (2-0), 12:30 p.m., Ch. 4, 950-AM
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